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George R.R. Martin's Doorways
Dr. Thomas Mason had a regular life, with a regular job, and a regular girlfriend. Until one night, zapped from somewhere else, a mysterious young woman named Cat ends up in his E.R. Pursued by the government and twisted creatures from her own world, Cat inadvertently embroils Tom in her quest for freedom. Which takes him to alternative Earth's he never imagined - and which he may never get back from!
105 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 17, 2011
3 people are currently reading
541 people want to read
About the author
George R.R. Martin
1,505 books119k followersGeorge Raymond Richard "R.R." Martin was born September 20, 1948, in Bayonne, New Jersey. His father was Raymond Collins Martin, a longshoreman, and his mother was Margaret Brady Martin. He has two sisters, Darleen Martin Lapinski and Janet Martin Patten.
Martin attended Mary Jane Donohoe School and Marist High School. He began writing very young, selling monster stories to other neighborhood children for pennies, dramatic readings included. Later he became a comic book fan and collector in high school, and began to write fiction for comic fanzines (amateur fan magazines). Martin's first professional sale was made in 1970 at age 21: The Hero, sold to Galaxy, published in February, 1971 issue. Other sales followed.
In 1970 Martin received a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, graduating summa cum laude. He went on to complete a M.S. in Journalism in 1971, also from Northwestern.
As a conscientious objector, Martin did alternative service 1972-1974 with VISTA, attached to Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation. He also directed chess tournaments for the Continental Chess Association from 1973-1976, and was a Journalism instructor at Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa, from 1976-1978. He wrote part-time throughout the 1970s while working as a VISTA Volunteer, chess director, and teacher.
In 1975 he married Gale Burnick. They divorced in 1979, with no children. Martin became a full-time writer in 1979. He was writer-in-residence at Clarke College from 1978-79.
Moving on to Hollywood, Martin signed on as a story editor for Twilight Zone at CBS Television in 1986. In 1987 Martin became an Executive Story Consultant for Beauty and the Beast at CBS. In 1988 he became a Producer for Beauty and the Beast, then in 1989 moved up to Co-Supervising Producer. He was Executive Producer for Doorways, a pilot which he wrote for Columbia Pictures Television, which was filmed during 1992-93.
Martin's present home is Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (he was South-Central Regional Director 1977-1979, and Vice President 1996-1998), and of Writers' Guild of America, West.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/george...
Martin attended Mary Jane Donohoe School and Marist High School. He began writing very young, selling monster stories to other neighborhood children for pennies, dramatic readings included. Later he became a comic book fan and collector in high school, and began to write fiction for comic fanzines (amateur fan magazines). Martin's first professional sale was made in 1970 at age 21: The Hero, sold to Galaxy, published in February, 1971 issue. Other sales followed.
In 1970 Martin received a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, graduating summa cum laude. He went on to complete a M.S. in Journalism in 1971, also from Northwestern.
As a conscientious objector, Martin did alternative service 1972-1974 with VISTA, attached to Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation. He also directed chess tournaments for the Continental Chess Association from 1973-1976, and was a Journalism instructor at Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa, from 1976-1978. He wrote part-time throughout the 1970s while working as a VISTA Volunteer, chess director, and teacher.
In 1975 he married Gale Burnick. They divorced in 1979, with no children. Martin became a full-time writer in 1979. He was writer-in-residence at Clarke College from 1978-79.
Moving on to Hollywood, Martin signed on as a story editor for Twilight Zone at CBS Television in 1986. In 1987 Martin became an Executive Story Consultant for Beauty and the Beast at CBS. In 1988 he became a Producer for Beauty and the Beast, then in 1989 moved up to Co-Supervising Producer. He was Executive Producer for Doorways, a pilot which he wrote for Columbia Pictures Television, which was filmed during 1992-93.
Martin's present home is Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (he was South-Central Regional Director 1977-1979, and Vice President 1996-1998), and of Writers' Guild of America, West.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/george...
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March 30, 2023Not good. Not awful.
September 3, 2011
From the foreward we learn that George R. Martin was greenlighted to create a television pilot and series based upon this story, and that he spent about a year on this project, only to see it cancelled through the combination of timing and staff changes at the network.
So it has the elements of a television series. We meet the characters -- a human-looking character on the run. check. bounty hunters chasing her. check. the stand-in for the target reader. check. A scenario where each episode they stumble into an alternate universe -- in this volume we designed small microbiotic organisms to clean up oil spills in the ocean except, oops, they ran amok and ended up destroying all of the oil (and plastic) in the world, and thus logically returning us to the mythological Old West. Run around in this new world and then *bam* here come the bounty hunter chase scene where they *almost* catch them this time before they escape into a new doorway. End episode.
However, I looked high and I looked low but I couldn't find any character development or insights about the human condition. It's like they ran out of space, had to cut something, and that's what they chose.
So it could be better. Later. Maybe.
So it has the elements of a television series. We meet the characters -- a human-looking character on the run. check. bounty hunters chasing her. check. the stand-in for the target reader. check. A scenario where each episode they stumble into an alternate universe -- in this volume we designed small microbiotic organisms to clean up oil spills in the ocean except, oops, they ran amok and ended up destroying all of the oil (and plastic) in the world, and thus logically returning us to the mythological Old West. Run around in this new world and then *bam* here come the bounty hunter chase scene where they *almost* catch them this time before they escape into a new doorway. End episode.
However, I looked high and I looked low but I couldn't find any character development or insights about the human condition. It's like they ran out of space, had to cut something, and that's what they chose.
So it could be better. Later. Maybe.
March 30, 2022
Doorways was a story I initially read as a script and found myself hooked, then I gave the graphic novel a try. Although this was not a story that stood out in terms of originality – I can easily image it as a late-night film for when you do not need to focus all your attention on what is happening – it was an enjoyable read. It moved quickly, kept me turning the pages, and I liked watching things comes together. Sure, I would have liked more depth. However, that was not enough to lessen my enjoyment.
All in all, an enjoyable read.
All in all, an enjoyable read.
January 8, 2018
In 1991, George R.R. Martin was the showrunner for Doorways, an hour-long science fiction drama about two characters with the ability to traverse alternate universes. A pilot was filmed and six additional scripts were written, but the show never got picked up. Twenty years later, IDW Publishing decided to adapt the pilot script into this four-issue comic book series.
This graphic novel did not catch on any better than the old tv pilot. The idea was to eventually adapt Martin's unused scripts, then begin writing new stories. Instead, the comic seems to have been dropped after the initial four issues.
The artwork is decent but unremarkable. The story itself is actually very engaging. Cat is a beautiful, enigmatic woman who arrives on our Earth with advanced weaponry and a device that gives her the ability to travel through the multiverse. She is a runaway slave being chased by an evil Darklord from another earth. She gets befriended by an ER doctor named Tom who in the course of saving her life passes through a wormhole with her.
The premise of the show would have been that they visited a different alternate earth each episode, presumably with a regular cadre of returning actors who would show up each week playing different versions of the same characters. Tom and Cat would be trying to find a way back to Tom's earth to reunite him with his girlfriend.
The problem, I think, is that the whole story feels very much a product of 1990's television. It is too episodic with little in the way of a series story arc. It deals with alternate realities very simply, with even less sophistication than a modern superhero show like Flash. Audiences today expect more complicated character relationships and sophisticated plotting. Ironically, the best example of this is actually Game of Thrones, also based on Martin's writings. If a network today wants to produce a serious, adult-oriented multiverse show, I would rather see it based on Blake Crouch's wonderful novel Dark Matter rather than this idea.
It is interesting to note this graphic novel is not based on the original Doorways teleplay, which was included in Martin's short story compendium Dreamsongs. That script had Cat and Tom traveling to a post-holocaust winter world. The graphic novel used the final shooting script for the pilot which sent the pair to an alternate earth where all the oil had been destroyed.
This graphic novel did not catch on any better than the old tv pilot. The idea was to eventually adapt Martin's unused scripts, then begin writing new stories. Instead, the comic seems to have been dropped after the initial four issues.
The artwork is decent but unremarkable. The story itself is actually very engaging. Cat is a beautiful, enigmatic woman who arrives on our Earth with advanced weaponry and a device that gives her the ability to travel through the multiverse. She is a runaway slave being chased by an evil Darklord from another earth. She gets befriended by an ER doctor named Tom who in the course of saving her life passes through a wormhole with her.
The premise of the show would have been that they visited a different alternate earth each episode, presumably with a regular cadre of returning actors who would show up each week playing different versions of the same characters. Tom and Cat would be trying to find a way back to Tom's earth to reunite him with his girlfriend.
The problem, I think, is that the whole story feels very much a product of 1990's television. It is too episodic with little in the way of a series story arc. It deals with alternate realities very simply, with even less sophistication than a modern superhero show like Flash. Audiences today expect more complicated character relationships and sophisticated plotting. Ironically, the best example of this is actually Game of Thrones, also based on Martin's writings. If a network today wants to produce a serious, adult-oriented multiverse show, I would rather see it based on Blake Crouch's wonderful novel Dark Matter rather than this idea.
It is interesting to note this graphic novel is not based on the original Doorways teleplay, which was included in Martin's short story compendium Dreamsongs. That script had Cat and Tom traveling to a post-holocaust winter world. The graphic novel used the final shooting script for the pilot which sent the pair to an alternate earth where all the oil had been destroyed.
March 10, 2013
Rather disappointing. The artwork is so-so as is the story, whose chief weakness is that I never quite believed how the hapless Dr. Mason got roped into traveling with Cat.
August 30, 2020
This was outdated, badly paced, underdeveloped, and generic. The main character (I finished the book two minutes ago and i’ve already forgotten his name) had no personality to speak of, and Cat was a ’born sexy yesterday’ trope of her time. There was absolutely no reason I could gather as to why she was the only character who couldn’t speak proper English, considering everyone else from her realm didn’t seem to have a problem with it.
I don’t know, this seemed so far from what I expected from Martin that I wonder what kind of switch went off in his brain that propelled him from this to GOT.
I don’t know, this seemed so far from what I expected from Martin that I wonder what kind of switch went off in his brain that propelled him from this to GOT.
July 23, 2018
Pretty good. Basically it’s the same concept of that old tv show called Sliders. Anyone remember that show? It kinda sucked. Anyway I wish this book had been longer. I enjoyed the characters. 3 stars.
August 27, 2019
I had picked this up back when first published having already read the story in Dreamsongs, and while I can see the appeal of the story, I do not like this compilation. It's exactly like a TV show pilot with all of the weaknesses that entails. Characters have no grounding, the plot lurches about trying desperately to hook you and not quite managing. I didn't understand why the feds even involved Dr. Mason the next day, and he's so stupid the rest of the story that I just can't even. The villains motivations remained murky the entire time, so I didn't really care if Cat got scooped up by them or not. I actively disliked her, which made it hard for me to root for her given the body count that seemed to rack up everywhere she went. Lastly, there is no end to this story; it's literally an opening arc that doesn't resolve. As a reader I'm annoyed that I even bothered flipping through this again because it's an incomplete work thrown out in the world.
November 29, 2021
This was an entertaining story and I do think that it would make a fun series. It is action-packed and does highlight the horrors of war which GRRM likes to emphasize in his writing. This would be a nice start to the series, with the characters jumping from door to door in order to escape the Dark Lord and get Toe-mas back home.
Thomas left a life back in his world and there is a moment when he looks at his girlfriend' photo and thinks about it. Maybe there should have been a couple more instances of things like that which show he desire to go home.
For Cat, it's about surviving not living. Over time, she could recognize living and want to have a life rather than only surviving, especially once the Dark Lord is defeated.
The broken camp that Tom and Cat encounter really serves as a foil to the more comfortable living conditions of Tom's world, as well as showing the horrors of war.
This story reminds me of Sliders.
Thomas left a life back in his world and there is a moment when he looks at his girlfriend' photo and thinks about it. Maybe there should have been a couple more instances of things like that which show he desire to go home.
For Cat, it's about surviving not living. Over time, she could recognize living and want to have a life rather than only surviving, especially once the Dark Lord is defeated.
The broken camp that Tom and Cat encounter really serves as a foil to the more comfortable living conditions of Tom's world, as well as showing the horrors of war.
This story reminds me of Sliders.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2020
It's not hard to see that this was a TV Pilot first. It feels really thin on the characterization, and a lot of it feels like it was cribbed from Terminator 2, with the twist being parallel worlds instead of time travel. That "twist" is pretty much all this book has going for it - otherwise it's a pretty straight-forward action adventure with a default white male doctor lead, the mysterious lady from another dimension with communication issues, and a bevy of wild villains hunting them down as they stumble across multiple Earths. It's not bad, but there just isn't enough meat on the story (although the world situation of the main alternate Earth in the story is at least somewhat novel) to make it worth recommending, and the art is effective but not inspired. Very much middle of the road, veering toward the lower side of the quality line.
December 4, 2017
A story of an interdimensional traveling girl who is trying to escape from the Dark Lords through portals called Doorways. She stumbles into the present where she meets a doctor. They have an adventure. An interesting story, but not terrific.
Read
August 18, 2019A let down
Im not sure if it's because this started as a screenplay, or maybe it was the transferring to comic form, but this did not stand up with GRRM's usual writing. Was very let down by this.
Im not sure if it's because this started as a screenplay, or maybe it was the transferring to comic form, but this did not stand up with GRRM's usual writing. Was very let down by this.
Read
January 7, 2025Part of my retrospective reading Of GRRM. Doorways is a tv screenplay. The pilot of a proposed scifi series.
Ummm, surprisingly uninspired for GRR
It’s also my first time reading a screenplay but it feels somewhat like reading a play.
Ummm, surprisingly uninspired for GRR
It’s also my first time reading a screenplay but it feels somewhat like reading a play.
May 11, 2017
Uff, que cosa más mala.
June 11, 2017
Six word reviews:
Had potential but it's not Sliders
Had potential but it's not Sliders
January 1, 2018
It was ok. I read it in one sitting. Meaning, I didn’t put it down for a day and forget about it like I normally do with Hoopla loans.
August 29, 2018
GRRM sure likes horse drawn carriages. This would make a great TV show. Too bad it fell thru all those years ago.
October 24, 2018
Entretenido pero lejos de la calidad literaria del genio de Martin.
April 17, 2019
Different take on Quantum Leap
It was a fun read but don’t know if it could of kept me entertained past this collection. There is still plenty to explore with Cat.
It was a fun read but don’t know if it could of kept me entertained past this collection. There is still plenty to explore with Cat.
July 25, 2019
Le pongo dos estrellas porque es muy sencillote. No vale lo que cuesta. Te lo lees, te entretienes, pero no cuenta nada nuevo. Sin sabor. Sin más.
February 10, 2020
DPL hoopla
August 1, 2021
Comoic que se basa en un piloto que nunca se aprobó. Basada en un guión de George Martín donde nos muestra la manida historia de viajes entre mundos paralelos.
October 16, 2023
This was a fun GRRM sci-fi story. I'm not the biggest fan of graphic novels/comic books, but this one was enjoyable.
May 14, 2011
I received a sneak peak up the upcoming graphic novel George R. R. Martin's Doorways from NetGalley, as a free Advanced Reader's Copy. I am a huge fan of Martin's Song of Ice and Fire, so I jumped at this.
Let me start by saying that I only received the first part of this, and this review covers only that. I enjoyed it. The art and coloring was good (comic book quality good, not Rembrandt, of course). The panels flowed well into each other, never leaving me wondering which was next. The brief glimpse of the story I had was interesting. As with many “super-hero” type comics, it seemed a bit rushed. Unfortunately for the comic genre, the writers have very few pages to grab the reader's interest. If they fail that, the reader will not purchase the next issue. I consider the rushed air part of the genre.
There were a few moments that stretched my suspension of disbelief. I was left pondering, “Would a government agency really do that?” There was an explanation given, but it didn't quite work for me. This, too, might be because of the limitations (expectations?) of the genre. The characters needed to be off and running by page XX, so it happened.
I love George R. R. Martin. He puts amazing depth to his worlds and characters. I am eagerly awaiting to see what he can do with this. Admittedly, I worry if his talent can truly be expressed in this medium. I'm looking forward to the rest of Doorways, and recommend this one to comic/graphic novel readers.
Follow my reviews at Urban Fantasies Read and Reviewed.
Let me start by saying that I only received the first part of this, and this review covers only that. I enjoyed it. The art and coloring was good (comic book quality good, not Rembrandt, of course). The panels flowed well into each other, never leaving me wondering which was next. The brief glimpse of the story I had was interesting. As with many “super-hero” type comics, it seemed a bit rushed. Unfortunately for the comic genre, the writers have very few pages to grab the reader's interest. If they fail that, the reader will not purchase the next issue. I consider the rushed air part of the genre.
There were a few moments that stretched my suspension of disbelief. I was left pondering, “Would a government agency really do that?” There was an explanation given, but it didn't quite work for me. This, too, might be because of the limitations (expectations?) of the genre. The characters needed to be off and running by page XX, so it happened.
I love George R. R. Martin. He puts amazing depth to his worlds and characters. I am eagerly awaiting to see what he can do with this. Admittedly, I worry if his talent can truly be expressed in this medium. I'm looking forward to the rest of Doorways, and recommend this one to comic/graphic novel readers.
Follow my reviews at Urban Fantasies Read and Reviewed.
May 19, 2011
I'm not a big fantasy reader. I tend towards historical fiction and sci fi, but I've recently discovered George RR Martin's "Game of Thrones" series and I've been absolutely blown away by the scope, drama, stories and, most importantly, the characters. In looking for more Martin, I came across "Doorways", published by IDW. This comic delivers Martin and fantasy fans a story originally developed for tv in the 90's.
The first issue of four introduces Cat who appears rather Terminator-like in a street, gets injured and ends up in an ER where she's seen by Dr. Thomas. Carrying bizarre weapons and unable to speak well, Dr. Thomas realizes quickly that she's not a local, though from how far away is unclear. After being taken from the hospital by some MIB-looking suits, we're introduced to her powerful weapons and more powerful enemies.
The artwork by Stefan Martino is bright, bold and dramatic. The character-building in this first issue is somewhat light, but that's expected in this medium. The world that Martin plans on building is only hinted at initially, but he's clearly heading down a very interesting path of alternative realties and a sniff at time travel or time shifting.
The bad guys seem dramatically bad. The future technology seems dramatically cool. For Martin, Fantasy and Sci Fi fans, I'd absolutely recommend this read.
The first issue also contains an epilogue from Martin where he explains the backstory of "Doorways", which had actually produced a 90-minute long pilot, 6 additional scripts, and a cast that included "Matrix"-destined Carrie-Ann Moss.
I received this advanced reader copy from NetGalley.com
The first issue of four introduces Cat who appears rather Terminator-like in a street, gets injured and ends up in an ER where she's seen by Dr. Thomas. Carrying bizarre weapons and unable to speak well, Dr. Thomas realizes quickly that she's not a local, though from how far away is unclear. After being taken from the hospital by some MIB-looking suits, we're introduced to her powerful weapons and more powerful enemies.
The artwork by Stefan Martino is bright, bold and dramatic. The character-building in this first issue is somewhat light, but that's expected in this medium. The world that Martin plans on building is only hinted at initially, but he's clearly heading down a very interesting path of alternative realties and a sniff at time travel or time shifting.
The bad guys seem dramatically bad. The future technology seems dramatically cool. For Martin, Fantasy and Sci Fi fans, I'd absolutely recommend this read.
The first issue also contains an epilogue from Martin where he explains the backstory of "Doorways", which had actually produced a 90-minute long pilot, 6 additional scripts, and a cast that included "Matrix"-destined Carrie-Ann Moss.
I received this advanced reader copy from NetGalley.com
July 25, 2015
I disegni non mi entusiasmano, ma li preferisco senza dubbio a quelli di Tommy Patterson e del suo A Game of Thrones, anche se ora sto aspettando la pubblicazione del quarto volume per comprarlo. All’inizio mi è sembrato che la storia di Doorways procedesse un po’ a scatti, che non avesse abbastanza fluidità. Limiti della sceneggiatura? Adattamento non perfetto? Troppo poco spazio dedicato a spiegare la situazione? Quest’ultimo punto è certamente vero, infatti quando il contesto è più chiaro tutto procedo meglio. Non aiuta il fatto che almeno all’inizio Cat, la protagonista, si esprima praticamente a monosillabi e pure pronunciati (leggasi: scritti) male. Quando si legge in un’altra lingua serve un po’ di chiarezza in più, e a tratti ho faticato perché non avevo abbastanza contesto per agganciare le parole. A tratti. Quando sono entrata nella storia non ne sono più uscita. Mi piace l’idea di partenza e vorrei conoscere meglio i retroscena. Andrebbero bene anche altri cinque graphic novel, uno per ciascuna delle sceneggiature già realizzate. Dei romanzi sarebbero più belli, ma Martin ha ancora The Winds of Winter e A Dream of Spring da finire quindi è meglio se non si distrae troppo. Dubito che avremo mai gli altri graphic novel, o anche solo le sceneggiature, ed è un peccato perché sono convinta che man mano sarebbero venuti fuori dettagli molto interessanti sull’intera vicenda. Il ritmo c’è e i personaggi sono belli, George R.R. Martin mi ha catturata un’altra volta.
Il testo completo con la storia del graphic novel: https://librolandia.wordpress.com/201...
Il testo completo con la storia del graphic novel: https://librolandia.wordpress.com/201...
May 15, 2011
Ever since I started reading Martin’s “A Song of Ice & Fire” series (aka, “Game of Thrones”), I’ve had a soft spot in my heart for the dude. And his storytelling skills have only been honed over time, and translate well into comic form. “Doorways” just backs that feeling up, 100%.
This one-off comic seems a bit like “Witchblade” with all of the girls with metal limbs walking around, but it’s definitely nowhere near that series when it comes to plot. I kind of hope there’s more to this series, because I was left with so many unanswered questions after I finished reading this volume, like: why is Cat running (aside from her quest for freedom)? And why to Past-Earth? Was it just an accident? Or was it planned? What exactly are the creatures that are pursuing her, and where are they from? What time are they from? It left me wanting to know all about this new world that Martin created, and that made it feel unfinished.
This short volume was just enough to whet my whistle after some deeper reading done earlier in the week (and it was kind of a bad week this past week), just enough to kind of make me relax and enjoy the ride. Martin is good with putting his readers at ease into the worlds he creates, even if they’re not at ease with what happens within them. This is one of the reasons why I love his work.
Looking for a little bit of sci-fi fun? Check out “Doorways” and enjoy Martin’s wacky new world.
(crossposted to librarything, shelfari, and witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)
This one-off comic seems a bit like “Witchblade” with all of the girls with metal limbs walking around, but it’s definitely nowhere near that series when it comes to plot. I kind of hope there’s more to this series, because I was left with so many unanswered questions after I finished reading this volume, like: why is Cat running (aside from her quest for freedom)? And why to Past-Earth? Was it just an accident? Or was it planned? What exactly are the creatures that are pursuing her, and where are they from? What time are they from? It left me wanting to know all about this new world that Martin created, and that made it feel unfinished.
This short volume was just enough to whet my whistle after some deeper reading done earlier in the week (and it was kind of a bad week this past week), just enough to kind of make me relax and enjoy the ride. Martin is good with putting his readers at ease into the worlds he creates, even if they’re not at ease with what happens within them. This is one of the reasons why I love his work.
Looking for a little bit of sci-fi fun? Check out “Doorways” and enjoy Martin’s wacky new world.
(crossposted to librarything, shelfari, and witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)
February 24, 2013
Although I don't read too many graphic novels, I did read quite a few comics when I was a kid. I don't know if it was because the story for Doorways was originally intended for a television series, or if George R.R. Martin's story-telling skills raised the level a bit, or if I'm just slowly becoming more excepting of this medium as an actual graphic novel instead of just a comic book, but I enjoyed my experience with Doorways more than I have with any graphic novel that I've read to this point.
The story is a fun sci-fi/fantasy romp that takes the reader along with the characters on a run for their lives. The action starts up pretty quickly and doesn't really let up until the end. I think that one of the things that I liked the most is that Martin doesn't ever stop the story to explain to the reader exactly what is going on, there is no flash-back sequence or explanation from a narrator of what has happened in these characters' pasts, the reader just gets bits and pieces from the characters themselves as the story progresses.
My only complaint with this particular book is that it is a bit short and feels a little incomplete. I realize that this is based on the screenplay for a television pilot that was never aired and that Martin most probably didn't put a whole lot into expanding the story once it got dropped, but when he decided to move forward in turning it out in graphic novel format, there could have been a bit added to give it a more satisfying conclusion even if there are plans to continue the series.
The story is a fun sci-fi/fantasy romp that takes the reader along with the characters on a run for their lives. The action starts up pretty quickly and doesn't really let up until the end. I think that one of the things that I liked the most is that Martin doesn't ever stop the story to explain to the reader exactly what is going on, there is no flash-back sequence or explanation from a narrator of what has happened in these characters' pasts, the reader just gets bits and pieces from the characters themselves as the story progresses.
My only complaint with this particular book is that it is a bit short and feels a little incomplete. I realize that this is based on the screenplay for a television pilot that was never aired and that Martin most probably didn't put a whole lot into expanding the story once it got dropped, but when he decided to move forward in turning it out in graphic novel format, there could have been a bit added to give it a more satisfying conclusion even if there are plans to continue the series.
January 24, 2015
I'm tempted to rate this a single star, but that seems a bit too harsh. But be warned: this is the comic version of a TV pilot Martin wrote in the early 1990s for a major network, and thus is filled with all the standard elements of a sci-fi/fantasy series from that era (girl on the run, bounty hunters, a "regular" guy gets involved,...) and the concept looks a lot like Sliders: the doorways of the title refers to how they travel between alternate versions of Earth, a "doorway" that appears at a certain point and time.
It's not particularly good or bad, and really the most interesting thing about it is that the failure of this TV pilot is what drove GRRM away from TV and made him dust off the novel he'd started in 1991: A Game of Thrones. So the failure of this fairly mediocre pilot contributed to the creation of a beloved fantasy book series, which then resulted in a (nowhere near as good) HBO show.
It's not particularly good or bad, and really the most interesting thing about it is that the failure of this TV pilot is what drove GRRM away from TV and made him dust off the novel he'd started in 1991: A Game of Thrones. So the failure of this fairly mediocre pilot contributed to the creation of a beloved fantasy book series, which then resulted in a (nowhere near as good) HBO show.
November 7, 2012
This was originally the idea for a TV show but to be honest it isn't that great of a story so I doubt it would have done brilliantly as a show.
I am a big fan of George R R Martin, he is a bamf of fantasy but this just wasn't really that good, kind of like 5th Element meets Sliders but in a really boring way.
The characters are okay, a bit predictable and boring nothing really stands out about them. The artwork is not the best but it's okay.
I found there were far too many crash bang wallop scenes than dialogue which can sometimes work in film but not so much in comics.
Overall I would rate this book as OK. I would recommend it to people who are ardent fans of George R R Martin and have the time to sit through his back log of work that isn't A Song of Fire and Ice but I wouldn't necessarily start here.
I am a big fan of George R R Martin, he is a bamf of fantasy but this just wasn't really that good, kind of like 5th Element meets Sliders but in a really boring way.
The characters are okay, a bit predictable and boring nothing really stands out about them. The artwork is not the best but it's okay.
I found there were far too many crash bang wallop scenes than dialogue which can sometimes work in film but not so much in comics.
Overall I would rate this book as OK. I would recommend it to people who are ardent fans of George R R Martin and have the time to sit through his back log of work that isn't A Song of Fire and Ice but I wouldn't necessarily start here.
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